


The Sea & Dust

by Aly_H



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Apostates (Dragon Age), Gen, Parent-Child Relationship, Parenthood, Qunari Culture and Customs, Saarebas, Tal-Vashoth, Tal-Vashoth Culture and Customs, single parent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-31
Updated: 2018-03-31
Packaged: 2019-09-07 05:34:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 636
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16848124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aly_H/pseuds/Aly_H
Summary: Snippet scenes with the Tal-Vashoth Aban Adaar and his surprise introduction to fatherhood when he becomes guardian to a young mage named Issala.





	1. Chapter 1

Aban Adaar closed his eyes trying to figure out what he was going to do. There wasn’t really any option – well there _were_ plenty but they were terrible for the most part and he could not bring himself to believe any of them were truly options.

The mercenary ran a hand down his face, looking at the Qunari child.

The Tama had called her Issala.

Dust.

A mark of scorn for the girl who would be forced to live as a Tal-Vashoth the rest of her life, or a comment on the dusty yellow color of the child’s hair. He’d chosen his name _Aban_ for the color his eyes were compared to, for now Issala would work and when she was of age she might choose another name for herself.

“We need to leave Seheron,” he told the little one who looked up at him with pale sea-green eyes. He wasn’t sure she was old enough to understand yet. “I didn’t want to go South but there is little choice now. We can’t let the Viddasala find you, can we?”

He hadn’t been able to live by the Qun but he had expected to stay on Seheron and eventually be hunted down by his own. Finding himself suddenly with a tiny child whose future was his responsibility to insure meant a change of plans was in order.

The Free Marches were as good a place as any. Far enough away the Ben-Hassrath might ignore them and he had fought far too many Vints to try to go there as a mercenary the way some did. It would be easier to protect the little one from the Andrastian’s Templars than it would his own people, or whatever path the Magisters might wish for her.


	2. Chapter 2

“The road is no place for her,” the human _tsk_ ed softly, her eyes sharp on the six year old who was playing quietly on the other side of the fire. The fierce woman with her scarred eye and intimidating demeanor was a good deal shorter than Aban but he had no doubts she could break him in half with the oversized axe she wielded in battle.

“Can’t exactly risk settling down,” he pointed out.

Little lights chasing each other around the fire as Issala giggled – having found her magic once more. He frowned a little – caught between the knowledge that he should chastise her for using the power that was meant to be a secret and a degree of joy that the blond girl had yet to learn to fear her own power.

“Hmph,” she frowned, before lifting what she was carving into the firelight to examine it carefully. The dragon’s scales wrought in exquisite detail, wings half spread and mouth open in a silent snarl. “It needs paint.”

“I didn’t know you carved,” he tilted his head at the woman.

“Used to make these for my boys when they were little,” she smiled a little bit – it was a sad sort of smile. “She needs some toys of her own so she stops dressing empty bottles up in rags to be her dolls.”

He chuckled a little, glancing to Issala. _That_ was true. He’d hoped to buy her a proper one after the last paycheck but she’d come down with a fever and medicine was much more important.

“How old are your sons?”

“They died two years back,” she shook her head. “I was in the army in Ferelden, you know? Fort Drakon. My boys enlisted when the call for new recruits went out. Eighteen and nineteen and so damn proud to be serving with Cailan.”

“I’m sorry, Ellie, didn’t mean to pry,” his tone was gentle.

The warrior shook her head, “Same story as most of Ferelden. Just be glad the Wardens kept it from going further than it did.”


End file.
